


At least let me take you to dinner first

by Nimbus_Cloud



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Office, Explicit Sexual Content, First Time, Getting Together, M/M, Sexual Content
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-03
Updated: 2016-09-09
Packaged: 2018-08-12 17:52:14
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,366
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7943725
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nimbus_Cloud/pseuds/Nimbus_Cloud
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Kuroken Office AU commissioned by curiouslylazy</p><p>Kuroo Tetsurou has just been hired as the new assistant director of marketing for Neko Market (Nekoma for short), a leading pet supplies brand.  First day on the job, he meets Kozume Kenma from the IT department, and it's all downhill from there.  But while word around the office is that Kenma prefers casual sex and swears off relationships, Kuroo wants his heart first before they tumble into bed together.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [curiouslylazy](https://archiveofourown.org/users/curiouslylazy/gifts).



The tinkling melody of his phone alarm went off for the third time atop his sink, and Kuroo turned it off with a heavy sigh, glaring at his reflection in the bathroom mirror.  Over half an hour with a comb and a can of hair spray and a small tub of mousse had resulted in a vaguely _stylized_ bedhead… but bedhead nonetheless.  Unfortunately, it being the third alarm meant he absolutely had to run out the door _now_ or he was going to be late for his first day at his new job.  First impressions were important—hopefully, they’d give him more points for his punctuality and then be lenient about the hair.

“All right, that’s as good as it gets.” He sighed one last time before grabbing his blazer, phone, and wallet and hurrying out to catch his train.

His first look at Kai Nobuyuki in front of the Nekoma Market corporate building had him biting his lip.  Kai was all clean lines, sporting a cleanly shaved buzz-cut and perfectly-tied Windsor to his to go with his pearly-white smile. 

_I should’ve just shaved my head.  They would’ve probably forgiven it growing out stupid if I started out looking more presentable._

“Nice to meet you.  You’re Kuroo Tetsurou?  I’m Kai Nobuyuki, assistant director of publicity and relations.  It’ll be my job to show you around today.”

He held out his hand, and Kuroo took it in a firm handshake despite his own nervous smile. 

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“Nice hair.”  Kai smiled, and it seemed genuine enough.

“Ah… I was… actually trying to go for a more toned-down look, but my hair’s a bit difficult to work with most mornings.” Kuroo offered mildly as he followed Kai into the elevator.

“I’m jealous.  I’ve tried any number of styles for my hair, but none of them seem to suit my face quite right.  This buzz cut seems to work well enough for now.  Easy maintenance at least.  You’re on the fourth floor for marketing actually, but I need to check in on something in my office on the fifth floor, so we’re heading there first.  Hope you don’t mind.”

“Lead the way.”

“Chances are you’ll spend a decent amount of time up on our floor anyway.  We’re not an overly large company, and the departments work very closely together.  There’s enough overlap between marketing and publicity as well you know, so you’ll be seeing a lot of me.  Ah, we’re here.”

They stepped out onto a somewhat bustling floor of people, everyone chatting lightly as they worked at their open desks.  No cubicles.  Kuroo liked it already.

“Kai, Kenma was just looking for you—is this…?”

“Ah, this is our new assistant director of marketing.  Kuroo Tetsurou.” 

“Pleased to meet you.” Kuroo gave a polite bow of his head.  Seeing the incredibly vertical spikes on the head of this new co-worker made him feel a little better about his own head of spikes. 

“I’m Inuoka Sou!” He held out a hand.  “I hope you’ll like it here!”

“Kai, there you are.”  A blond head (with some serious roots) poked out of what was presumably Kai’s office in the corner.  Minus Kai, there was wild hair all around.

“Ah, I’ll be right there, Kenma!” Kai called, walking briskly over.  “You can come in, Kuroo.”

“Uh… right.  Coming.”

After briskly shaking Inuoka’s hand, he followed Kai nervously into the office, standing quietly by the door and avoiding… (Kenma, was it?) Kenma’s questioning stare.  And it wasn’t just because those piercing eyes made him feel like a specimen up for examination; it was also because Kenma was surprisingly attractive.  Kuroo had never previously considered himself to have a ‘type.’  Nearly all of his previous attractions and relationships had been based on existing friendships, and their physical appearances had varied somewhat widely.  But it turned out he actually did have a ‘type’ apparently, and Kenma was _it._

He shifted his weight between his feet, stealing subtle glances as Kenma explained to Kai what repairs had been done to his computer and how to avoid having similar problems in the future with his machine.  From the sounds of it, Kenma was clearly from the IT department and quite knowledgeable in his work.  Though it was also clear that Kai was perhaps not the most adept at handling technology.

“And for the _thousandth_ time, clear your cache every once in a while.”

“Right, right…” Kai laughed.  “Oh, and before you leave, let me introduce our new assistant director of marketing, Kuroo Tetsurou.  Kuroo, this is one of our lifelines from IT, Kozume Kenma.” 

“Pleasure to meet you, Kozume.” Kuroo smiled. 

“Just Kenma is fine.”

“Kenma hates formalities,” Kai supplemented with a knowing grin.  “All right, Kuroo, let’s head on over to marketing and meet your team, shall we?” 

“Right.”

“You’re welcome to tag along for a bit if you want,” Kai offered to Kenma, who was still eyeing Kuroo with thinly veiled interest.  “Assuming you have nothing urgent to do.”

“I don’t, but Lev’s in marketing.  And I haven’t had enough caffeine today to deal with _that_.”

Kuroo raised an eyebrow at that—was Lev supposed to be some sort of…hassle?

Kenma caught the expression and waved a hand nonchalantly.  “He’s not a bad guy or anything… Just a lot to handle, and I’m… not great with him.”

“You’ll understand when you meet him,” Kai half-whispered, as if this Lev could somehow overhear their conversation from an entirely different floor. 

“Well, I’m sure I’ve dealt with worse,” Kuroo grinned, putting a hand on his hip.  His last job had given him Tsukishima Kei to contend with, and after that, he was sure he could handle anyone.  “I hope to see more of you, Kenma.”

Kenma paused a moment, letting his eyes run over Kuroo, then giving the smallest hint of a grin before leaving the office with a, “Likewise.”

It made Kuroo’s heart beat much faster than he cared to admit, and he had to remind himself: _Don’t dip your nib in the office ink.  Remember where that got you last time._ A broken heart and a desperate need to find a new job.  Today was only his first day, for heaven’s sake.  He needed to get off on the right foot here.

They took the stairs down to the fourth floor where they found a slightly more energetic group of employees, mostly rallied around a giant of a man, who could be none other than Lev.  Now that Kuroo thought about it, Lev hadn’t sounded like a Japanese name nor even a passable nickname for one.  As soon as their eyes met, the young man came dashing over, wide-eyed and grinning like a maniac.

_He’s a lot to handle…_

“Are you our new assistant director?”

“Ah… yeah.  That’d be me, Kuroo Tetsurou.  And you… must be Lev?”

“Wow, yeah!  That’s me!  How did you know?”

“Calm down, Lev.  Let’s not overwhelm in his first hour here.” Kai cut in.  “Let me show him to his office first, and then we’ll do introductions with everyone else after that.  How does that sound?”

“Right… yeah, that makes sense.  I’ll go bring you guys some coffee then!”

A few moments after Lev scurried off, Kuroo whispered to Kai, “I don’t actually drink coffee.”

After letting out a snort of laughter, Kai returned Kuroo’s grin.  “He’s eager to please, that one.  He’ll learn soon enough.  Anyway, over here is your office, smaller than the director’s, but that’s to be expected.  Kenma really should’ve come with us, he’ll have to come back here later anyway to help you set up your computer and your company email alias.  I’ll remind him in case he forgot.  Any questions for me so far?”

“I’ll admit to none in particular other than… when will I meet with the director?”

“Ah… not often, I’m afraid.  But he responds quickly to email inquiries even while traveling.  He’s fairly hands off most of the time, but of course, final approval of any projects has to come from him.  Oh, before I forget, here are your keys… one for the building and one for your office.”

Kai fished two freshly-cut keys from his pocket and pushed them into Kuroo’s hand along with a card pulled from inside his blazer, which he passed along with a wide grin.

“Most importantly, keep this upcoming Saturday night free—we’re throwing you a welcome party!”

“That’s…”

Kuroo found himself at a slight loss for words.  His old company hadn’t been cold by any means, but they weren’t quite as immediately warm and inviting as everyone here.  Not to mention when he had left his previous place of employment, he had done so quietly, stealing away and refusing their offer of a farewell celebration.  Looking at Kai’s smile now, he felt he was finally getting the fresh start he had been hoping for.

Kai held out his hand to him.  “Welcome to Nekoma!”

* * *

 

The welcome party wasn’t a particularly grand affair; they’d rented out a basement atelier with a bar and a selection of finger foods.  The guest list could accommodate fifty, but present company amounted to no more than thirty.  Kuroo was grateful; it’d be slightly overwhelming to be introduced to fifty people in one night—most of whose names he’d forget by the end of it.  Sticking close to Kai, he got to know Yaku from R&D, Bokuto from Sales, Lev and Shibayama from his own marketing team, and to his quiet delight, Kenma. 

After an hour and several rounds of drink and roaming the floor, Kuroo’s pockets were stuffed full with napkins that had phone numbers scribbled on them, handed over by several young women across various departments.

“I take it you don’t have a policy against interpersonal relationships within the company?” Kuroo asked the table with a smirk as they settled in for easy socializing now that the meet-and-greets were over with.  “I suppose I should be flattered.”

“As long as it doesn’t interfere with work or strain relationships between everyone else, we don’t care what two, consenting adults decide to do in their free time.” Kai smiled. 

“Well… it’s not that we don’t care _at all_ …” Bokuto cut in, a playful gleam in his eye.  “Everyone enjoys a bit of gossip here and there… At least, _I’m_ going to ask for the juicy details if you get some action.”

“Don’t tell him anything you don’t want the entire company to know,” Kenma supplemented.  “Secrets aren’t exactly his specialty.”

“I take it you have firsthand experience with that?”

Kuroo shot a wink at Kenma, and all eyes suddenly seemed to dart nervously between the two.

Kenma blinked, his expression unimpressed, before standing from the table with a quiet sigh.  He laid a hand on Kuroo’s shoulder gently and leaned in to speak low into his ear,

“I’ll let the others explain, hm?  I’m going to go get another drink.”

Then he brushed his fingers teasingly down Kuroo’s arm before making his way through the light crowd, and Kuroo tried to convince himself that the heat in his face was from the alcohol—it had been a long time since his last bout of heavy drinking.

“Explain what?”

He directed the question at the table and several of his companions shared looks between them, silently questioning who would be the one to offer up an explanation.  Eventually, Akaashi (one of Bokuto’s from the sales department) spoke up.

“Kozume has a reputation around the company for… Well, he’ll sleep with most anyone.”

That was a bad time to take a drink.  Kuroo sputtered and coughed, Bokuto immediately passing him a napkin to help with the spill. 

“For the most part, people are anxious to try at least once—he’s really _good_.” Yaku added.

“And willing to accommodate… unconventional requests.  If you have them.” Akaashi continued with a slight flush to his cheeks.

“So if you’re interested in men, Kenma’s one who’ll show you a good time.” Yaku leaned back in his chair, arms up behind his head.  “You’re tall, dark, and handsome, so I’m sure you’ve got plenty of experience to bring to the table.  Kenma might even get to go all out with you, even.”

“Uh, I’m…” Kuroo stammered.

“I said ‘if.’ If women are your game, you have plenty of selection there too—I just couldn’t tell you what any of them are like.” Yaku shrugged, almost defensively.

“The ladies are a little more tight-lipped, mostly.” Kai whispered.  “On their end, they don’t kiss and tell.”

“Yeah, they’re classy.” Bokuto nodded.  “Like Kai here.  But I don’t bother with all that.  I like hearing _all_ the good stuff.”

“Sorry, I’m… I’m not…” Kuroo tried to form the words eloquently but the alcohol was definitely getting to him by now, and he still hadn’t quite recovered from his earlier shock.

“You’re not a faggot, is that what you wanna say?” Yaku spat.

“Yaku!”

“No!  That’s not!” Kuroo jumped in his seat.  “No—I… I am!  Into men…  But I don’t… Well, I don’t have any real experience with that sort of thing.”

“That sort of thing?”

“You know… _sex_.” Kuroo mouthed the last word, like a grade-schooler attempting a swear word for the first time to see how it sounded in his mouth. 

An annoying silence settled over the table, oozing awkwardness until Bokuto let out a snorting guffaw.  Akaashi elbowed him roughly, but that only made him laugh harder, and Kuroo sighed with slumped shoulders.

“Yeah… I know…”

“S-sorry!” Bokuto gasped between chuckles.  “I just thought—I mean… Hell, you’re a good-looking guy, charming… You _definitely_ know how to flirt, so I just assumed… what do you mean no experience?  Like zero?”

“Bokuto, you’re being rude.” Akaashi chided, but Yaku was giggling across the table too.

“Look, flirting is easy, okay?” Kuroo huffed, crossing his arms.  “Saying hi, making nice, getting to know someone is the easy part.  But… past that?  Most I’ve done is make out with someone.  After that I lose my nerve.”

“Forget what I said then!” Yaku snickered.  “Kenma would have to force himself to hold back instead.  Though I’m sure it wouldn’t be the first time he’s initiated a virgin.”

Kai sighed, attempting to be sympathetic.  “I’d like to say, ‘please excuse their behavior, they’re drunk,’ but honestly, they’re like this even sober so I can’t assume any pretense.”

“Oh come on, Kai!” Yaku smacked his shoulder.  “You’re telling me you’re not the least bit surprised?  Look at the guy—he oozes sex appeal!”

“I… I guess I can’t say I’m not… at least a little—“ his eyes were screaming at Kuroo: _I’m sorry for this betrayal._

“No, I… I get this a lot.” Kuroo groaned.  So much for his fresh start.  “But… do you think Kenma would really be interested in me?  I won’t lie, I’ve honestly been thinking about asking him out, but—“

“Whoah, now…” Yaku cut in, his eyes suddenly serious.  “Kenma doesn’t _date_.”

“Wh-what?  You mean he just sleeps with people without even—?”

“I’m starting to understand how you could still be a virgin, actually.” Bokuto chimed in. 

“So all he does is…?  You’re telling me I can’t ask him out for a dinner and a movie or a casual café lunch date?”

“You can sure as hell try,” Yaku laughed.  “But don’t get your hopes up.”

“Kozume doesn’t form relationships that way,” Akaashi included softly.  “If you’re curious about him, you’re better off taking what he offers you—bedroom companionship—and leaving it at that.  It’s a crude saying, but ‘scratch the itch,’ and move on.  You won’t get more.”

Figures.  Kuroo had a bad habit of falling for people who would never return his feelings.  But maybe it was just as well—wasn’t he swearing off another office romance anyway?

“Sorry… but I don’t do one-night-stands.” Kuroo grimaced, recalling a familiar pang of disappointment.  “Seems like I’d be a let-down to him anyhow.”

“Aww cheer up, Kuroo, you big sap!” Bokuto wrapped an arm around Kuroo’s shoulders and clinked their glasses together, spilling great puddles of beer onto the table.  “If that’s the case, we’ll find you a fairy tale romance yet!  Right, Akaashi?!”

“Whatever you say, Bokuto.”

“All right, all right, let go—this _sap_ needs to take a piss.”

On his way to the bathroom, Kenma quietly stepped in beside him, his long hair falling into his face as he kept his eyes mostly on the ground. 

“So now you know.”

“…Now I know.” Kuroo replied, heart pounding in his throat.  This close, he could see the way Kenma’s eyelashes fluttered gently as he blinked—just being next to the guy was bad news.

“Your place or mine?  Or would you prefer a hotel?”

“Whoah, slow down—I…” he sighed, running a hand through his hair.  “It’s not that I’m not interested in you, but I’d want a lot more from you than just a quickie.”

“There’s not much I haven’t done, you know.  If you prefer slow and—“ Kenma’s hand reached up to press against Kuroo’s chest, feeling the firm pectorals there. 

“I don’t mean _that_.” Kuroo waved his hands.  “I mean… going out for dinners and staying in to watch movies on the couch.  Leaving spare toothbrushes at each other’s apartments and really dumb, matching boyfriend shirts to wear at Tokyo Disney Sea.  That sort of thing.”

“Oh…” Kenma withdrew his hand.  “That, I don’t—“

“So I heard.” Kuroo smiled, sparing Kenma what he was certain would be a well-rehearsed explanation.  “We’ll just be friends for now.  Maybe I can convince you to go on a date with me someday, no strings attached?”

“…I wouldn’t hold your breath.”  Kenma stared long and hard, blinking in clear confusion.  “I’m offering you the sex without any of the work leading up to it, but you’re telling me you prefer the more roundabout method?” 

“I wouldn’t call it _work_.  What can I say, I’m an all-or-nothing kind of guy.” Kuroo shrugged before walking away into the bathroom. 

He wasn’t about to just throw himself at someone whose heart wasn’t in it.  Not again. 

* * *

 

Thankfully, work kept him busy enough in the first few weeks such that Kuroo didn’t have time to think too much about the information he’d been given at his welcome party.  Especially when he was going out for dinner and drinks nearly every night with various co-workers.  Most frequently, he’d see Kai, Yaku, Bokuto, and Akaashi.  Sometimes Lev or Fukunaga would tag along.  More often than not, Kenma got dragged along into the mix too.  But even if he seemed entirely engrossed on his phone or various mobile gaming devices, he’d still chime in now and then to conversations, usually with a tidbit of random knowledge or a snide quip. 

Kuroo found himself always sneaking in as much conversation as he could with Kenma, flirting lightly (always by accident, of course) with his stomach coiling into knots whenever Kenma flirted back.  Try as he might to not fall too hard too fast, it certainly felt like a losing battle most times.  Kenma extended a standing offer to take him to bed, but Kuroo was insistent against it.  Instead, he extended his standing offer to take Kenma out on a date, to which Kenma seemed similarly opposed. 

He got home late most nights and would go straight to bed, getting up early the next morning to do it all over again.  It was comfortable to fall back into a regular routine, and Kuroo was thankful that it kept him so occupied.

But counting one’s blessings was tempting fate, and it wasn’t long after his one-month anniversary with the company that the universe decided it was high time for a test of his abilities.  Mostly, a test in his patience.

It was a bright, sunny Friday with the perfect, dream-like weather they write about in novels, and Kuroo had been eagerly looking forward to the weekend when Lev—a whirlwind of a human being—came charging into his office with ‘good news.’

“Good news, Kuroo!  I managed to secure ad space in the upcoming issues of three different pet magazines, thanks to the contact list I got from Inuoka in PR, and—“

“Hold on, ad space for what?” Kuroo could feel his weekend slipping away even as he asked the question.  “And which three magazines?”

“ _Neko no Kimochi, Tochipachi_ —we’ve worked with them before, and… CREA Cat!”

CREA Cat was a big name magazine, but… “Ok… now ads for what?”

“Well, Yaku was telling me about this new idea they’re working on in R&D the last time we went out for dinner, and I thought we could do like… promotional advertisements for it before it hits the shelves!  So I sent out some emails to see what I could—“

“An _idea_?  Do they even have a prototype ready for us to work with?”

“Well… no, they need to get it approved first—“

“Lev, we can’t advertise for something we don’t have—for something we may _never_ have!” He resisted the urge to ask how long the young man had worked in this department.  Surely that much was common sense?

“I… I just thought… pre-sale promotional ads and pre-orders are definitely trending now, and I just thought it’d be good to generate consumer interest early for—“

“That’s all well and good, Lev, but we don’t have a _product_ to work with.  If it was something already approved that’s in production for which we have a working prototype, that’s one thing, but we can’t promote sales for an _idea._ ”

“B-but…” Lev was flustered now, realization slowly dawning on what exactly he had done.  “But we’ve always had a hard time getting ads in CREA Cat… it’s really competitive, and if I go back on them now, they might never give us ad space again.  I was… I might have been a little persistent…”

“…What’s their print deadline?”

“They want a proof by next Tuesday.”

Kuroo could feel the headache forming, and he rubbed his temples slowly.  It was almost three in the afternoon now… There was no way he’d be getting off work on-time today.

“How did you think we could have a proof ready by—“

“Well, I’d already drafted one.  I was just hoping to get it approved!” Lev suddenly passed him a sheet with a colored ad printed on it.  “Shibayama was busy with other stuff so I didn’t wanna bug him about it… I did most of it myself… except for the graphics…”

“Lev.” Kuroo said with an eerie calm.  “I want you to go back to your desk and send emails to the other two magazines, and let them know that we are _regrettably_ unable to submit an ad proof in time for their next publication, and that we _profoundly_ apologize for wasting their time.  I want to proofread these emails before you send them.”

“…yes, sir.”

“Then I want you to cancel whatever Friday night plans you had because you and I are gonna clock in some overtime tonight while we revamp this ad proof for CREA Cat into something acceptable.  Got it?”

“Y-you’re gonna help me fix it?” Lev gaped.

“To make sure it comes out right, yes.”

“I… ok.” Lev shuffled out, head bowed in extreme melancholy, pausing at the door to mumble, “I’m… I’m really sorry...”

“I know, Lev.  Just let me know when you’ve finished drafting those emails, then we’ll get to work, all right?” Kuroo answered patiently, offering a somewhat strained smile.

* * *

 

It was near dinner time when Kenma found Lev hunched over his desk on the fourth floor, scribbling away at a form of some kind, eyebrows furrowed in concentration.  His hair was a ruffled mess, sleeves crumpled up at his elbows, and his tie completely undone. 

“Kenma!  What are you doing here?”

“I could ask you the same question.  I wanted to run maintenance on some of our systems tonight since people don’t usually stay late on a Friday, but it was indicating two people still logged into the server.” Kenma’s eyes flew to the crumpled sheets of paper all around Lev’s desk.  “What are you working on this late anyway?”

“Ah, I… I messed up pretty bad… Bit of a long story.  But Kuroo and I are staying late to get an ad ready before next week since my layout was… it… well, it needed some tweaking.”

“Kuroo’s staying with you to help?” Kenma raised an eyebrow.

“Yeah!  He… He went to the bathroom just now, but… he’s staying to help me fix things—he’s teaching me a lot too, and!” Lev lowered his volume suddenly, looking around to make sure they were alone.  “He didn’t yell at me.  Not even a little.  I mean, the old assistant director used to tear me a new one and make me redo stuff a thousand times until it came out right, remember?”

“I remember.” Kenma recalled with a grimace.  It had been a particularly brutal lecture that had first driven Lev to seek comfort in Kenma’s bed. 

“Oh!”

They heard Kuroo’s voice approach from across the room.  He looked as disheveled as his colleague, tie loosened, collar unbuttoned, and his blazer flung on the chair beside Lev. 

“What are you still doing here, Kenma?”

“I was hoping to run some systems maintenance…”

“Is that so?” Kuroo settled back down in his chair and peered over at Lev’s computer screen.  “Well, sorry we messed up your schedule—that looks good there, make that font a little bigger—but we’re almost done here.  Should only be another hour at most; half-hour if I can stop being a perfectionist about everything.” He shot Kenma a wink.

“After this, we can all go out for dinner!” Lev chimed, his stomach growling on cue.

“Oh ho… your treat?” Kuroo teased.

“Uhh…”

“I’d have to stay after you guys are done—I can’t work until you log out.” Kenma mumbled, eyeing Kuroo curiously.

“We could wait for you,” Kuroo offered.  “Assuming Lev won’t keel over from hunger.”

“It’s dinner time!  Isn’t it normal for me to feel hungry right around now?”

“It’ll be a while.  You guys should just head out when you’re done.” Kenma said softly. 

“A while?” Kuroo repeated.  “How long is a while?”

“A few hours.  That’s why I was hoping to get started sooner.  But it’s fine.  Just text me when you’re done so I know to start running my tests.”

Kenma gave Kuroo one last, long look before leaving.  The man was oddly full of surprises.

A fact he reinforced when he showed up on the IT floor a couple of hours later with a bag full of take-out food, extra snacks, and juice from the convenience store. 

“…you left and came back?”

Kuroo scratched his head with a sheepish grin.  “Well… you’re here extra late because of us, so I thought I’d make amends.  Good thing I did, since _that_ does not look like a wholesome dinner.” He nodded to the crumpled cracker bags and candy wrappers that lay scattered across Kenma’s desk next to his DS. 

Kenma shrugged, turning back to his computer screen.  “It’s enough brain fuel.”

“Better brain fuel is this.” Kuroo pulled out the take-out food and set it down beside Kenma’s keyboard.  “Come on, take a break.”

Kenma gave a small grumble, but accepted the chopsticks that were offered to him, noting that Kuroo had also bought him his favorite apple juice.  Surely not just a lucky guess. 

“You know… most people give up on Lev after a couple of weeks.  The last guy in your position made it repeatedly clear how fed up he was with him.  I thought it was a miracle Lev didn’t get fired for all his screw-ups.” Kenma mused between bites.

“I can’t say I don’t understand the feeling,” Kuroo smirked, teasing a crick out of his neck with a slow head roll.  “But he’s a fast learner once you take the time to teach him.  Mostly, he needs a bit of guidance… though it’d help if he stopped trying to do stuff on his own so much.  I appreciate that he wants to take initiative and contribute in his own way, but…”

“At least he keeps you on your toes.”

“That he does!” Kuroo laughed as he attempted to make himself a little more presentable, rolling down his sleeves and tucking his collar neatly back down.

“You didn’t have any weekend plans?” Kenma pressed, eyeing the bob of Kuroo’s rather prominent adam’s apple as the man retied his tie for all the good that would do him at 9 PM at night. 

“Other than chores around home and sleeping in, you mean?”

“…did you still want to go on a date with me?”

“…I—I thought you didn’t want to date?”

“You make me want to try it out.” Kenma admitted.  “If you’re still interested in me, I think I’m interested in you.”

Kuroo rubbed his eyes to make sure he wasn’t delirious and hallucinating the situation because he was so tired—nope, Kenma was still there.  Still there and looking up at him with those doe eyes that made his heart flutter.

“Y-yeah.  Yes.  If… if you’ll have me.” He stammered.

“Tomorrow?”

“Ok.”

Kenma let out a small chuckle.  Kuroo was quite cute when dazed.  “Go home and sleep.  I’ll text you in the morning.”

“I’m afraid to sleep—what if I wake up and this was all just a dream?”

“That’s why you need to check your phone after you wake up.  Now go home.”

“Right… okay.  Will do.”

“Oh, and Kuro?”

“Yeah?” They were at nicknames now?

“Thanks for the food.  It was really thoughtful of you.”

If this wasn’t supposed to be a dream, then why the hell did Kenma’s smile make him look so damn radiant?!

* * *

 

Kuroo was waiting for Kenma in a little hideaway café off the main roads, fidgeting with his fingers and praying that Kenma hadn’t changed his mind in the past few hours since sending him the text of where and when to meet him.  It was certainly possible… Prior to this, the man had adamantly avoided forming romantic attachments, after all.  But halfway through his mental tug-of-war of whether or not he should give Kenma a call, he spotted the dark roots sitting atop a head of blond strolling down the alleyway towards the café.  Kuroo hailed him to their table, and Kenma slid silently into the booth across from him. 

“I was surprised that you’d go for a lunch date,” Kuroo admitted with a relieved smile.  “You seem much more like a night owl.”

“Well it’s supposed to be a date.  And if we met up for dinner and drinks, it’d feel too much like the dinners we always go to with everyone else.” Kenma shrugged.

“I suppose that’s true enough…” Kuroo laughed.  “But you know… a lot of times dinner with a date can feel exactly like dinner with a friend.  Honestly, it probably should.  Ideally, you’d want to be friends with the person you’re dating, right?”

“But it never works that way usually,” Kenma frowned.  “Even with friends… The second you start dating, they stop being your friend.  The label changes and with it there are all these new expectations and commitments.  Suddenly, it’s like you never knew them at all and whatever connections you had with them before feels… like a lie.  It’s too much work.”

“Mm…” Kuroo hummed.  “That can sometimes happen.  It’s unfortunate when it happens, but it’s not every case.”

The waitress came by then and Kuroo ordered a jasmine tea for himself as Kenma ordered a glass of sparkling apple juice.  Once she was out of earshot, Kuroo lowered his voice a little before he continued.

“But I think most people would say that sex complicates relationships, not that relationships complicate sex.” Kuroo smirked.  “I’ve known people to have flings, but I’ve never known anyone to actively swear off dating.”

“Sex is easy and fun.  You don’t end up with arguments or misunderstandings.  There’s a clearly defined goal, and you set the rules before you start.  It’s like a game.  Seeing what makes people tick, the things they like, don’t like… testing how much they can take and what I can make them do.  Plus you know for sure when you’ve ‘beat the level,’ essentially.”

“I’ll… take your word for it.” Kuroo replied hastily, trying not to blush.

“Sorry…” Kenma muttered.  “This isn’t what you wanted to talk about on a first date, is it?”

“Honestly, I figured it was bound to come up at some point.  But since we’re on the topic, let me go ahead and ask, what are your expectations for… us?”

Kenma picked at his nails under the table, eyes roaming around and across Kuroo’s features, lips pursed and eyes furrowed in thought.  After several minutes, during which their waitress came and went after bringing their drinks, he let out a sigh.  “I’m not sure I know.  It’s complicated, and I’m not exactly in my comfort zone…  It might be better to ask what your expectations are?  Since you’ve done this before.”

“I wouldn’t call them expectations really.  More like… hopes.  I’d like for us to have fun and enjoy ourselves today.  Get to know each other better… I wanna learn some new things about you.  I hope you’d feel the same and want to know more about me.” 

“How is that any different from just being friends?” Kenma frowned.

“Because I like you.” Kuroo smiled.  “Trust me, it makes a difference.”

“I’ll take _your_ word for it then.” Kenma parroted Kuro’s earlier doubt. 

“There must be something you like about me, right?” Kuroo asked, resting his chin on his hand.  “Why else agree to something so outside of your comfort zone?”

“Maybe I Was bored and just wanted to try something new.” Kenma shrugged.  “Maybe it has nothing to do with you personally—you just happened to come along at the right time?” He eyed Kuroo intently as he spoke, expectant curiosity shining in his gaze.

“So you’re giving me the opportunity to work my charms on you then?”

Kenma blinked—he hadn’t expected such an easygoing response to his blatant attempt at provocation.

“You really don’t get upset easily, do you?” he noted.

“And you’re not the best liar.  Trying to make me angry so you’d have an easy reason to escape?”

“…that’s not what I was doing.” Kenma lied.  Badly.

“Yes you were.” Kuroo grinned.

“No, I wasn’t.” Kenma wasn’t even sure why he was denying it—Kuroo had seen right through him. 

Kuroo leaned back in his chair with a knowing smile and took a long, slow sip of his tea.  “…yes you were.”

Kenma huffed, pouting despite himself.

“That’s a cute face.”

“Shut up.”

But despite their bickering conversation, they were smiling and laughing at each other, the banter coming naturally and flowing freely between them like the shifting breezes of the open air.  Light and easy.  Comfortable.  Kenma was grateful for the ease of it.  And more than a little surprised. 

They spent the day together, just like that, laughing and talking and enjoying each other’s company just as Kuroo said they would, no expectations, no pressure.  Kuroo listened to Kenma talk about his favorite games, then regaled him in turn with tales of his days spent on a college volleyball team.  And when the day came to an end beneath the twinkling lights of the city, Kenma leaned into Kuroo’s gentle touch and nodded his head quietly when Kuroo asked,

“Can I kiss you?”

It was so chaste it reminded Kenma of his first kiss from long ago, and he groaned with frustration when Kuroo pulled away from him too soon. 

“That was it?” Kenma challenged.

“It’s only our first date,” Kuroo smirked, pressing his index finger to Kenma’s lips.  “If you want to give this a go, I wanna make sure you’re not just in this for my body.”

“Are you locking me into a vow of celibacy?”

“For a while.” Kuroo squeezed Kenma’s hand.  “I just want to make sure you really like me.”

* * *

 

It was rare for Kenma to feel in need of a consultation, but even he could appreciate the value of a second opinion from time to time.  The only question was from whom to obtain it, especially when the topic was himself.  He needed someone who knew him reasonably well… except Kenma could count all of his close friends on one hand, and among them, he felt only one could considerably give relationship advice.  Now if he could get over his own shock at the idea that he was in a relationship (for over a month at that), he could pick someone to text.

In the end, he wound up in a break room with Lev (the least qualified person to talk to), idly flipping the channels on a muted television while baring their hearts over open bags of chips.

“I think I’m just still surprised you’re dating anyone,” Lev admitted, eyes on the screen.  “Is it… _different_ for you now?”

“Not really.” Kenma shrugged.  “I think that’s the weird part.  It just feels like we’re getting to be better friends.  It’s not as annoying as dating usually is.”

“So what’s the problem then?” Flattered though Lev was to be asked for advice, there didn’t seem to be much need here for advising. 

“The problem is I don’t know how much I like him, if I do.”

“Well you have to like him at least a little, since you seem to enjoy yourself when you’re with him.”

“Do I seem that way?”

“Oh yeah.” Lev scoffed, rolling his eyes.  “You get this excited look in your eyes whenever Kuroo is around—it’s the same face you make when there’s apple pie in front of you.”

“I don’t make a face when there’s apple pie—“

“How would you know?  In any case, you _do_ , and that’s the same face you make for Kuroo.  You don’t even make that face during sex.  Or maybe you did once during the first time… whatever—you like him.  Even if it’s just a little.  You like him.”

“…is it the same face Yaku makes when he’s around you?”

“Yaku makes faces around me?  That aren’t disgust, I mean.”

Kenma rolled his eyes.  Ok, that was too much to expect of the boy.  Sometimes it amused him to think he’d slept with both Lev and Yaku when they were both clearly using him as a substitute for the other.  Did that count as indirect sex?  Probably not.  Either way, those two were the textbook example of a needlessly complicated relationship, except for the teeny, insignificant detail of their not actually being in a relationship.

“Have you tried testing it?” Lev gasped, shocked by his own brilliance.

“…Testing it?  Testing what?”

“Like… try kissing me!  You’ve kissed Kuroo by this point, right?  See if it feels different!”

“I may not know a whole lot about dating, but isn’t it kind of bad form to go around kissing other people when you’re supposed to be committed to someone?”

“It’s just a test!  You’ve kissed me before anyway, I know about you two, and I’m not trying to interfere.  Besides, it’s _you_ so even if Kuroo found out somehow, I don’t think he’d be too surprised.”

“What do you mean, ‘ _it’s me_ ,’ what are you trying to say—“

“Let’s just try it!”

“Fine.”

Lev pressed a hand to Kenma’s cheek and leaned in for a soft kiss, tasting one’s another lips, but not insistent at all.  If Kenma had to describe it, he’d have to say it felt… clinical.  He pulled away with a frown, and Lev laughed.

“Gee, was I that bad?”

“No, you were fine.  It just… It’s not doing it for me.”

“What if you pretend I’m Kuroo?”

“But you’re not.” Kenma pouted.

“So… no good unless it’s Kuroo?  That sounds to me like you like him.”

“Hm…” Kenma hummed.  Lev’s logic was hard to argue against.  His second shock of the day.  “Were you imagining that I was someone else?”

“…you won’t be mad if I say yes?”

“Lev.” Kenma said flatly.  “You called out Yaku’s name when we used to do it.”

“You are _never_ going to let me live that down!”

“Not until I hear the gossip from Bokuto about how Yaku managed to snag the half-Russian cutie from marketing.  Then maybe.  Maybe.”

Lev pulled at his face and groaned.  Kenma felt a bit bad for him, but he had his own lover to seduce.  The upcoming Friday night date ought to do quite nicely.

* * *

 

“I came to an epiphany the other day.” Kenma commented as they strolled along in the evening after dinner and drinks. 

“And what grand realization was this?” Kuroo hummed as he reached out to lace their fingers together when the passerby around them thinned to none.  It always amazed him how small and slender Kenma’s hands were—at least in his own.

“I really do like you.”

Kuroo tripped over his own feet at that, his image of dashing charm shattered instantly by that quietly muttered confession.  A blush crept to his features before he could stop it, and he brought a hand to his mouth to hide his giddy smile. 

“H-how do you figure?”

“Because I want you.”

“That’s…” Kuroo’s shoulders slumped.  “How is that any different from—“

“Because it’s my first time really wanting someone.  All the others… everyone else, they came to me first, and I didn’t care either way.  As long as it was just sex and nothing more, I was fine with anyone.  But I don’t think that I could do that anymore.  Because they wouldn’t be you.”

“K-Kenma…” Well that was a hell of a way to sweep him off his feet.

“It has to be you now.” Kenma said, almost sulking.  He closed the distance between them and reached for Kuroo’s hand.  “If that’s all right with you.”

“It’s… If we weren’t in public, I’d kiss you.” Kuroo sighed, defeated.

“I’d do more to you than that.” Kenma grinned.  “If you’ll let me.” 

Kuroo gulped as Kenma pressed himself against him and brought a hand to his chest. 

“ _Will_ you let me?”

At this point, his feelings were a garbled mess swirling around in his head, but his chest was warm (as were other parts of him) and he wanted Kenma too.  He wanted his first time with this sultry minx he couldn’t hope to measure up to and get in over his head.  Wordlessly, he nodded his head not once but twice.  Kenma grabbed his wrist shortly with a flourish, leading Kuroo to his apartment, which was rather conveniently close by.  Goodness, how did that happen?

They had barely kicked off their shoes when Kenma pressed Kuroo against the wall, tip-toeing up to kiss him, gentle and show, but peppered with needy little nibbles and moans.  Kuroo responded to him eagerly, but pulled away and gasped, his hands flying to Kenma’s wrists when he felt those fingers snaking up the hem of his shirt. 

“Changing your mind?” Kenma whispered, though he continued to lay soft kisses down Kuroo’s neck.

“N-no… it’s just…” Kuroo closed his eyes and moaned when he felt Kenma’s teeth scrape along his collarbone.  The V-neck had definitely been a good idea.  “I’ve never…”

Kenma’s lips pulled away suddenly, looking up at him with an inscrutable expression.

“Never?”

Kudos to Bokuto for keeping his mouth shut about that, Kuroo supposed, but now the embarrassment was flooding him with a fury, and he bit his lips in a frown.

“You’d… you’d be my first.”

“Oh…” Kenma’s warmth left him, and Kuroo felt his stomach sink until Kenma pulled his by the hand gently into the apartment proper, making a beeline for the bedroom.  “In that case, I’m not letting your first time be half in my doorway.  We’ll do it right.  And I’ll take it slow.”

There was a very mischievous smile playing on those swollen lips—Kuroo thought he could almost see Kenma’s canines poking through. 

Kenma flung his clothes off his bed before gently easing Kuroo to sit down, then crawled into his lap, arms wrapping around his neck before reclaiming his lips with a soft moan.  Kuroo tentatively lay his hands on Kenma’s waist, his touch light and questioning.  Kenma ground his hips down to show how much he liked that, and Kuroo broke their kiss with a loud groan.

“Hard already?” Kenma teased, but he soon nibbled on Kuroo’s chin and guided one of Kuroo’s hands from his waist to the growing bulge in his pants.  “Me too.”

Kuroo’s embarrassed pout grew into a flustered, ‘oh.’  He gave the volume in his hand an experimental squeeze and felt his own arousal strain painfully against the fabric of his pants at the moan Kenma gave in response. 

“Can I take off your shirt?” Kenma whispered against his ear, and Kuroo obediently raised up his arms as Kenma pulled up the hem. 

He shuddered and gasped as Kenma’s fingers flittered across his skin, teasing the flesh.  Kenma’s hands ran down the length of his arms before lifting one of Kuroo’s hands to his lips.  He kissed the fingertips then the inside of his palm, then the inside of his wrist, and Kuroo made a small noise of surprise.  The tender kisses ran up the length of his arm, the heat pooling low in Kuroo’s stomach as they drew closer and closer up.  Before Kenma could reach his shoulder, Kuroo brought their mouths together again, his tongue greedily requesting entry.  He could feel Kenma’s lips smile against his own before the blond pressed his palms against Kuroo’s chest to lay him on his back on the bed.

In one fluid motion, Kenma made quick work of his own shirt before moving to undo Kuroo’s pants.  He paused when Kuroo hissed in an anticipating breath.  Meeting his eyes, he whispered,

“You ok?”

Kuroo bit his lip but nodded.  He trusted Kenma. 

But his nerves were getting the better of him, so he closed his eyes as he felt his body move toward full exposure.  A moan hitched in his throat, competing with a gasp as he felt Kenma’s warm mouth enclose over the tip of his length, sucking lightly. 

“Ahh!  Ah, K-Kenma…” He covered his mouth with a hand, biting into the soft flesh of his palm to stifle his cries.

Kenma kissed the curve of Kuroo’s hip bone and murmured, “Don’t.  Let it out.  I want to hear you.”

So he did.  He let out a cry of frustration as Kenma’s weight left the bed, leaving him cold and alone.  Of course, he returned momentarily and kissed the inside of Kuroo’s thighs in apology.  With one hand, Kenma gently eased Kuroo’s legs open, pulling up under one knee.  Kuroo swallowed and shuddered—he was so exposed—and the anticipation burned in his throat when he heard a bottle cap open and close.

Gentle nips and nibbles tickled the soft skin on the inside of his thigh as one slick finger pressed against his hole.  His body went taut immediately, but Kenma’s kisses soon relaxed him again, and he moaned low as one thin finger slowly pushed inside.

“Ahh… Ah!  Hngh!  K-Kenma…!”

“Shh… easy.  Breathe.” Kenma instructed softly, rewarding Kuroo’s every breath with another kiss somewhere on his body.  “Breathe slow.  And deep.”

He punctuated the word ‘deep’ by curling his finger inside, delighted to see Kuroo arch his back off the bed, voice keening as his fingers twisted into the sheets. 

“Hah… hah… K-Kenma!”

“Sorry.” Kenma murmured against his stomach.  “Too much?”

“Hngh… k-keep going.” 

Well if he insisted.  Kenma twisted and slid his finger in and out until it did so with relative ease, then Kenma pressed in a second, marveling at the way the shudder rippled across Kuroo’s body.  Kuroo was tensing with every gasping breath.  Again, Kenma pressed his lips to Kuroo’s stomach, trailing upward this time until his tongue slid across a nipple.  He smiled when he felt Kuroo clench around his fingers as he cried out.  The man was surprisingly vocal. 

“Kenma… Ngh!” Kuroo reached for the blond, his voice desperate and hoarse.

“Just a little more, Kuro.” Kenma pushed in a third finger, reaching deep inside and twisting.

Kuroo’s vision went fuzzy around the edges as he felt himself being stretched open—he’d always wondered what it would feel like, but he could never have guessed how all-consuming it would all be. His body felt hot all over, on fire.  If he moved even an inch, it sent a shock of pleasure throughout his body from the base of his spine outward.  And when Kenma reached deep inside him, he felt a searing heat take hold.  His hips bucked and shuddered as he came, crying and gasping, his moans echoing in his own ears and surely carrying through the walls. 

“Ah!  Ahh!  Ahn… ngh!  K-Ken… sh-shit!” He was shaking all over, the orgasm washing over him in ebbing waves.  Kenma’s fingers were still inside him, and his lips were marking his skin everywhere he reasonably could, his tongue occasionally flickering out to taste the cum splattered across his stomach.  “S-sorry…”

“Mm, don’t be.  It’s actually a little easier this way.” Kenma thrust his fingers in and out with some speed, and Kuroo’s body jolted, his spent cock tingling with renewed sensation.  “Now you’re nice and loose and ready for me.”

Pulling a condom from his pocket, Kenma tore it open with his teeth before unbuttoning himself free.  The remainder of his clothes were rapidly discarded as he covered himself in the rubber instead.  Leaning over Kuroo, he demanded a deep kiss, his tongue tasting the heat in Kuroo’s mouth as his cock slowly pushed in below, tasting the heat inside Kuroo’s body. 

Kuroo broke their kiss with a groan, even louder than before, his broad hands gripping and clawing at Kenma’s back as he arched his own and dug his heels into the mattress.

“Ahhh… Ahh!”

He felt so full with Kenma’s heat inside him, Kenma’s every gasping breath against is neck fanning the flames hotter still.  It didn’t hurt, but it _burned_.  It was so much, _so very much,_ too much, and Kenma hadn’t even started moving yet. 

“Kenma… Kenma… Kenma!” Kuroo mumbled over and over, all of his overwhelming thoughts and feelings coalescing into one word. 

“Shh… I’m right here.” Kenma kissed his forehead, then his cheeks, then up along his jawline, nibbling on his ear lobe.  “You can feel me, can’t you?  Here?”

He rocked his hips, and Kuroo cried out—in pain or shock, it was hard to tell. 

“Right… here.” Kenma persisted, this time withdrawing a little before thrusting back in, aiming for Kuroo’s sweet spot. 

“Ah!  Hah… hah… it—shit!” 

“Ngh!  Hah…”

Even Kenma was feeling the building heat, even though he’d only just entered.  But Kuroo was just so tight around him, and every gasp of air he took was a contraction of heat around his length that pushed him closer and closer to the edge.  At this rate, they were both going to come from just being buried in each other’s heat.  That wouldn’t be much of a performance. 

Kenma braced his hands on the bed and pulled out, thrusting back in with fervor.  Kuroo’s cock was swollen between them, fit to burst a second time already, leaking pre-cum against his abdomen. 

“Hah… Kuro…” Kenma moaned, trying to steady his own breathing.

“Kenma… I’m—again.  I can’t…”

“Ngh!  Me too.”

Well, it was only Kuroo’s first time.  Kenma would have plenty of opportunities to work him over in the future.  He locked their lips together to swallow Kuroo’s moans and began thrusting with abandon, managing to last about another minute before he went over the edge, Kuroo spilling between them. 

“That… that was…” Kuroo huffed, breathless and limp where he lay. 

“I’m glad it was good for you.” Kenma kissed his forehead as he slowly pulled out, groaning at the loss of heat around his cock, but the warmth that had built in his chest was burning still.  “Was it everything you expected?”

“It was… actually milder… than I expected.  Word around the office led me to believe you’d be much more… _depraved_.” 

“Ah.” Kenma curled up beside Kuroo then, pressing their naked bodies flush together and leaned in to whisper into Kuroo’s ear.  “The _really_ fun stuff will come later.  But we need to level you up first.”

“I’m pretty low level right now.” Kuroo grinned, eager to play along.

“That’s what _grinding_ is for.”


	2. Grinding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut.  
> It's just smut.  
> Nothing to see here except kinky smut.
> 
> Tags tho: Handcuffs, whipped cream, use of toys, orgasm denial... all the fun stuff for Kenma's birthday

“Bokuto, I need to borrow Akaashi for a second,” Kuroo poked his head into the break room.

“Now?  He’s on break!” Bokuto huffed. 

“You can make out with him at home later, I need to borrow him for ten minutes _now._ ” Kuroo glared flatly.

“Buzzkill, that’s what you are.” Bokuto grumbled as Akaashi pulled away reluctantly to leave. 

“Yeah, yeah… make sure you do something about your boner before going back to work.” Kuroo waved a hand nonchalantly as they left, and he laughed as he heard Bokuto’s curses echoing out of the break room.  “Sorry to pull you away, but I need your help with something… uh… _private_.”

Akaashi raised an eyebrow but followed silently as Kuroo led them into a more secluded area—namely his office.  Marketing and Sales shared the fourth floor comfortably.  Still, Akaashi rarely had reason to visit Kuroo’s office so he wondered if they didn’t still look conspicuous to the others on the floor. 

“So what can I assist you with, Kuroo?” he asked as he closed the door behind him.

“Lev mentioned in passing that Kenma’s birthday is next week, and I’m a little stuck on what kind of gift to get him.  I also don’t trust anyone to keep their mouth shut if I entrust them with that secret except Kai and you.” 

“And the reason you’re not consulting Kai is…?”

“Is…” Kuroo took a deep breath.  “I also wanted advice on… bedroom… stuff.”

It was hypocritical, he knew, chiding Bokuto and pulling Akaashi away from their make-out session only to then ask Akaashi to give him sex advice.  Who was the one being more inappropriate, really?

“You don’t have to be so nervous; I won’t judge.  I’m guessing you’re asking me because you’re curious to try something _unconventional._   And as a birthday offering, no less.  Though… it doesn’t quite seem your style.  Are you sure you’re up for it?”

Kuroo had half a mind to bite back that Akaashi didn’t exactly seem like the freak-in-the-sheets type either given his extremely stoic personality, but he bit his tongue on that comment. 

“I have access to the internet, I’m not _completely_ in the dark as to the options.  But sifting through all of that can be a little… overwhelming.  A little more guidance would be appreciated.  Then maybe I’ll have a better idea of what I’m up for.”  Silently, Kuroo hoped Kenma wasn’t the type that was into choking.  That was a hell of a find.

“Well…”  Akaashi glanced at his watch.  “I’ll just need to warn you this will take _much_ long than ten minutes, despite what you said earlier to Bokuto.” 

* * *

 

It was perhaps a bit muted as far as birthday celebrations went.  Friday night had been the dinner party with all mutual friends (aka coworkers), leaving Saturday for the two to spend the day together.  Working off Kenma’s general preferences, they avoided most crowds, ate at Kenma’s favorite restaurants, and snuck in secret kisses when they could find areas deserted enough to allow such behavior.  Kuroo had found such acts so scandalous at first, but swapping spit for a few minutes in an alleyway was quite tame compared to his plans for the night. 

After dinner, Kuroo motioned to the bag he had been carrying around all day and winked. 

“Let’s grab a cake and head back to your place so I can give you your present.”

“…Today wasn’t the present?” Kenma murmured, though his eyes lit up at the mention of cake. 

“It was part of it.  But it’s not all.” 

Kenma eyed Kuroo’s bag suspiciously now though he hadn’t given it any thought before.  “What is it?”

“If I tell you, then it won’t be a surprise.”  Kuroo winked, hoping he exuded enough confidence to hide his slight nerves.  “Don’t give me that face.” 

In his eagerness to go home sooner rather than later, Kenma opted not to make the journey to the café that carried his favorite apple pie for his birthday treat.  Instead they dropped into one closer to his apartment and Kenma selected a normal vanilla cream cake, covered in whipped cream and strawberries.  A perfect size for two. 

So as not to ruin Kuroo’s carefully laid plans, Kenma then pretended not to notice Kuroo lingering behind to make an additional request of the patissier and tucking some additional purchase into his bag. 

There were certain aspects of a relationship Kenma still didn’t quite understand.  Or rather, it took some work to foster the habit of regularly thinking about another person’s happiness.  It was easy enough to facilitate the give-and-take in bed, but trying to keep it in mind throughout an ordinary day was an effort.  Too often he worried that Kuroo was getting the crummy end of the deal between them.  He hadn’t even told Kuroo about his birthday, but he somehow found out then took the trouble to arrange the dinner on Friday as well as their busy date today.  Thoughtful, that’s what Kuroo was. 

“Ok, so this might sound strange but… give me ten minutes to get ready, and then you can come into the room.” Kuroo said intently once they were inside the apartment. 

“…you’re taking the cake with you?” Kenma raised an eyebrow.

“Just… yes.  Yes I am.” 

“Oh… kay.” Kenma smirked, but said nothing further as Kuroo shuffled into his bedroom, closing the door behind him. 

Once inside, Kuroo counted silently to ten to make sure Kenma wouldn’t just burst in anyway from curiosity.  When he was sure he’d be given his full ten minutes of privacy, he opened the cake box, pulling it carefully out, and—damn, he’d have to go back out to grab a plate and a knife from the kitchen!

“No peeking, I just forgot a few things!”  Kuroo called as he darted quickly out of the bedroom to make a beeline for Kenma’s kitchen then back. 

He ignored Kenma’s overly-amused grin as he shut the door behind him.  Carefully, he cut out a neat slice of cake and placed it on the plate, setting the rest of it on the bedside table.  Then he took a deep breath to settle his nerves before he stripped down completely and crawled onto the bed.  Retrieving the extra whipped cream he had bought at the bakery, he carefully squeezed a few messy dollops onto his chest over his nipples—it felt chilly on his skin and perked them right up beneath the mounds of white fluff.  Then he squeezed a little more at the base of his cock where _this_ time, the chill was slightly detrimental. 

“Wow, I feel ridiculous,” Kuroo muttered to himself. 

It was hard to think Akaashi could have been messing with him, but he sure as hell wouldn’t blame Kenma if he walked into the room and had himself a great guffaw.  Whatever, he was committed now. 

Placing the cake beside him on the bed, Kuroo pulled out the final embellishment—the strawberry on top, if he wanted to continue the metaphor—a pair of handcuffs.  The key he placed on the bedside table next to the rest of the cake, then he worked his arms behind his back to cuff himself.  And once he’d handcuffed himself, all he could do was wait. 

Kenma walked in not soon after (Kuroo didn’t think that was the _full_ ten minutes) and gasped.

“Oh…” He stared wide-eyed at the sight atop his bed, mouth agape. 

But he didn’t laugh.

“H-happy birthday.” Kuroo breathed, a slight tremor in his voice.  “Th-there’s cake.  And me.  Eat—eat as much as you like.”  That sounded _much_ more ridiculous aloud than in his head. 

But Kenma smiled and sauntered over to the bed, noting every detail before he leaned in slow, his tongue darting out teasingly to lick at the cream on Kuroo’s chest. 

_So that’s what he had asked for from the patissier…_

The cream was sweet, but the moan that escaped Kuroo’s lips as he grazed over the perky pink nub was much, _much_ sweeter.  Biting his lip, Kenma willed himself a touch more self-control and pulled away.  Couldn’t forget the basics.  Meeting Kuroo’s eyes, he asked seriously,

“Where’s the key?”

“I’m—I’m meant to be cuffed for you.” Kuroo replied, confused.  “You… you like bondage play, right?” 

Kenma kissed Kuroo’s cheek—he was too adorable sometimes.  “I know.  But before we get started, we need to go over some things.  So where are the keys?”

“They’re… on the bedside table.” 

Kenma confirmed that with his eyes continuing.  “And since you’ve tied yourself up, does that mean I’m allowed to have my way with you?”

Kuroo swallowed hard before rasping out.  “Y-yes.” 

Kenma watched him carefully as he spoke.  “What’s your safe-word?”

“S-safe-word?” Kuroo’s brows knitted together in clear confusion. 

“You’re offering your body to me.  To do what I want with.” Kenma’s eyes grew heavy with desire, his own voice growing hoarse and needy.  “I want to test your limits, Kuro.  I want to see how far I can push.  But you have to let me know if I’m pushing too far.  That’s what safe-words are for.” 

“I… I haven’t thought of one.” Kuroo muttered, embarrassed at himself for failing to be completely prepared. 

“Then we’ll use the red-yellow-green system.  Like traffic lights.  Tell me ‘red’ whenever you want to stop.  I’ll stop immediately, no questions asked.  ‘Yellow’ if you want me to slow down or ease up.  Green should be obvious.  Easy, right?”  Kenma slid one finger slowly up the length of Kuroo’s cock as he spoke, pressing slowly from base to tip and running a line across the cream there.  He brought his finger to his lips to lick away the cream, smiling as Kuroo nodded his head with understanding.  “Good.  Now lie down.” 

Obediently, Kuroo lay himself carefully backwards onto the bed, bending his arms at the elbows so he could rest his cuffed wrists under the small of his back.  Even just having his wrists bound threw off his balance considerably, but he managed to get himself into a semi-comfortable position.

“Ah!  Ahhhnn…”

He wasn’t allowed much time for adjustment as Kenma’s lips soon latched down onto his other nipple, lapping away the cream with messy licks and then sucking _hard_ to make sure he had licked away all of the sugary-sweet flavor. 

“Delicious…” Kenma murmured into his skin, and Kuroo groaned and thrust up his hips shamelessly.

Taking his cue, Kenma licked his way down the length of Kuroo’s torso, kissing and nipping lightly as he went until he reached his cream-covered cock, the fluffy white sugar already melting and beginning to run.  Looking at the tip, Kenma could see the cream wasn’t the only thing running as pearly-white beads of pre-cum oozed from the slit of Kuroo’s length to blend with the whipped cream.  Kenma gave it a long, slow lick, sweet and salty flavors mingling on his tongue. 

“Hah… Ngh…”

Kuroo was writhing impatiently already.  A blowjob was a blowjob, Kuroo hadn’t imagined that a little whipped cream would make any difference, but it _did_.  Everything Kenma did with his mouth was so much more… _intense._  Fevered.  It really did feel like Kenma was eating him up, and it drove him wild to be desired like that—to be the object of Kenma’s _hunger._

“Mm… up.” Kenma smacked his thighs lightly, pushing them sideways.  “On your knees.” 

Shifting awkwardly, Kuroo adjusted his weight so that he could turn himself over onto his knees.  His shoulders pressed down into the mattress, and he turned his face to one side—the side where his bangs pressed into the sheets and he could still see.  As soon as he had moved himself, he felt Kenma squeeze some of the cream onto his hole and begin licking it up eagerly. 

“Sh-shit!” He gasped, spreading his knees wider as Kenma grabbed his cheeks and spread them open.

“Color.” Kenma murmured into the skin of Kuroo’s ass cheek.

“Gr-green.” Kuroo gasped.  “Ah!”

Kenma immediately resumed eating him out then, his tongue pressing insistently against his entrance before swirling around it to lap up the sugary white fluff.  Kuroo’s hands were straining against the cuffs, and they gave a violent rattle as Kenma pushed in a finger suddenly without warning. 

“H-hah…!  Ah!”

Kuroo’s hips lurched—he could feel his cock leaking, dripping onto the bed, and he heard Kenma click his tongue behind him.  There was a light kiss pressed to the base of his spine, and then he was gone, off the bed and rummaging through a drawer Kuroo had never seen him open before.

“What—“ He craned his neck to see if he could catch a glimpse, but Kenma was back over in a flash.

“You said _anything._ ”

Kuroo felt Kenma drizzle a generous amount of lubricant over his ass, letting it run over and between his cheeks and down his legs.  He bit his lip, then remembered that breathing was generally a good idea.  Closing his eyes, he took a deep inhale then slowly breathed out.  On his second inhale, Kenma pushed a small plastic… _something_ against his entrance, and Kuroo’s eyes shot open.  He opened his mouth to ask what it was, but all that escaped was a strangled moan as Kenma pressed it inside all the way. 

He could feel it occupying a small volume inside of him, and he gasped as it shifted inside when he tried to adjust his hips. 

“Wh-what…?” he rasped out finally.

“A bullet.” Kenma replied quietly.  “But here’s what it can do.”

Kuroo heard a switch click behind him, and then spots filled his vision.  Gasping and heaving, he screwed his eyes shut as the bullet inside him buzzed to life, vibrating against… it felt like it was vibrating against his entire body.

“Ah!  Ahh…!  Sh-shit!” He pulled on the cuffs and wiggled his hips in the air, wanting friction and pressure and not just this constant drumming.  “Ngh… K-Kenma…”

“Color.” Was his only response.

“K… gr-green.  Ngh!”

The vibrations grew stronger, and Kuroo whimpered as he fell sideways onto the bed, his thighs quivering from the effort of having to hold himself up.  Kenma slapped the underside of his thigh lightly to urge him back up.

“Up.  Come on.” 

Suddenly the bullet grew still inside him, and Kuroo whined at the loss of sensation.  He heard Kenma give a small noise of disapproval as he flicked the switch several more times.

“Dead.  But it _has_ been a while since I last charged it.  Okay.”

Slowly, gently, he eased the bullet back out and smacked Kuroo again—now he had no excuse for not being on his knees.  And then he was gone again, rummaging through his drawer for a second time, and Kuroo took the time to try and catch his breath. 

“Do I want to know what else you have in there?”

“Maybe.” Kenma mumbled as he rummaged.  “Here it is.”

This time, Kenma held it up for Kuroo to see—a sizable dildo this time—but the cord that dangled from the end of it could only mean more mechanical stimulation. 

“Is… Is that gonna fit?” Kuroo swallowed.  It was noticeably bigger than Kenma’s. 

“The vibrations help, believe it or not.” Kenma shrugged as he pulled out a second bullet from the drawer.  “Don’t make that face.  Besides, we have the colors.”

Kenma crawled back onto the bed, pouring more lube onto the new toys. 

“What’s the other bullet for?” Kuroo gulped, almost afraid to hear the answer. 

“Mm, this one’s for me.” And while Kuroo still lay on his side, Kenma made a little show of stripping and taking it into himself, teasingly swirling his hips before Kuroo’s eyes and moaning quietly as it popped inside.  

“Kenma…” Kuroo whispered and again he pulled at the cuffs.  The worst part of wearing them wasn’t even the lack of mobility—it was that he couldn’t touch Kenma at all.  And he _so_ wanted to run his hands across that soft, pale flesh and hear Kenma moan at his touch. 

“Right.”

Kuroo’s whisper seemed to bring Kenma back to reality, and he lifted one of Kuroo’s legs, letting it rest against his shoulder.  Kuroo didn’t need to be on his knees, lying on his side like this was just fine.

Watching him carefully, Kenma slowly pressed the vibrator inside.  Just an inch of it had Kuroo tense and trembling all over.  He held it there, just barely breached inside Kuroo’s body and turned the vibrations on, cooing as Kuroo lurched and cried, screwing his eyes shut and biting his lip.

“Shh… color, Kuro.  Tell me your color.”

“Hngh… Ngh!  Ah… y-yellow…”

“Ok.  That’s good.” Kenma kissed the calf that was braced against his shoulder.  “You’re doing great.” 

He turned down the intensity of the vibrations and watched until Kuroo’s breathing at last came steady and easy and his teeth relinquished their hold on his bottom lip.  Kenma leaned forward to kiss those swollen lips before he eased the vibrator further inside, licking his lips at the pre-cum that oozed from Kuroo’s cock.  He was still hard, so that was a good sign.

“Hah… h-hah… green…” Kuroo whispered suddenly, opening his eyes to look intently at Kenma as he said so.

 _Bad move, Kuro_ … Kenma thought briefly before shoving the rest of the dildo in, delighting in the graceful arch of Kuroo’s back as he squirmed and cried out, his voice breaking into light sobs.

“Color.”

“Ngh…!  Hah… Ah!”

“ _Color_ , Kuro.”

“Mm… y-yellow.”

So saying green earlier had been a bad idea.  Kuroo grimaced at the vibrations that ran through him.  They were light enough, but he was stretched so wide it stung, and not having Kenma’s warmth draped over him was a bit of a bummer.  He pulled at the cuffs and contemplated asking Kenma to remove them when Kenma suddenly shifted, reaching for the whipped cream.

Leaving the vibrator lodged inside, he drizzled a light trail down the length of Kuroo’s calf, licking and kissing up the length of it as he went, lapping up the cream hungrily.  He repeated the gesture across Kuroo’s nipples, swirling his tongue around them and sucking with extra vigor.  While he pleasured Kuroo, he pleasured himself, turning up the dial of the bullet inside him to varying speeds, his own voice blending with Kuroo’s as they both keened.  Kuroo’s moans grew louder and louder.  Eventually, he began moving his hips, wanting to feel the bulk of the vibrator moved deeper inside.

“Ngh… K-Kenma… green…”

Kenma gave the dildo an experimental twist and was pleased to find Kuroo could only moan in response without a hint of discomfort.  He turned up the dial and Kuroo’s volume increased to match, his chest heaving and his face completely flushed.  What a treat.

As the vibrations grew stronger and the thrusts grew deeper, Kuroo could feel himself teetering on the edge.  He curled his toes and gasped.

“C-coming.  I’m—“

Kenma pulled the vibrator out suddenly, leaving Kuroo feeling empty and cold, his hips thrusting at nothing, and he let out a pathetic whimper.

“K-Kenma…!” he groaned, but Kenma just hummed as he poured more lubricant onto the silicone toy.

“Not yet.”

“Green!” Kuroo cried desperately, his body aching for release.

“That and this are different.” Kenma teased as he gently pulled the bullet out of himself.  “I’m not letting you cum just yet.”

“Ngh!” Kuroo groaned silently as the wave receded and his body grew relaxed again.  Well, as relaxed as he could be with handcuffs on and a swollen cock begging for relief after a bout of overstimulation. 

“Green, right?” Kenma smirked as he pushed the entire length of the vibrator back in at once, angling it so he could hit—

“Ah!  Hah… hah!  Ahh!  Th-there!”

He twisted and thrust it in and out until Kuroo’s voice was keening, his voice growing hoarse.  His body seemed to brace itself, then again Kenma pulled it out, leaving Kuroo delirious with want.

“Shit, Kenma… Ngh…!”

But watching Kuroo was driving him to his edge too—all those delightful screams and moans and the sight of that large, strong body laid bare and vulnerable before him… Now Kenma was similarly frustrated, and he let out a small moan of discomfort as he left the bed for a third time.

“Wh-what are you grabbing now?!” Kuroo’s voice was practically panicked.

“The keys.” Kenma whispered as he jangled them off the bedside table.  He urged Kuroo to turn his body forward so that he could get at the cuffs. 

“Agh… yeah.  I’m gonna feel that tomorrow.”

Kuroo groaned as his arms were freed and he rolled his shoulders.  He moved to get up so he could stretch them a touch further, but Kenma pushed him down onto his back, moving to straddle him. 

“We’re not done with tonight yet.” Kenma whispered as he slicked up Kuroo’s length, which felt hot, so hot in his palm. 

“W-wait, shouldn’t we…?”

“I want it raw.” Kenma said to silence him, then slowly lowered himself onto Kuroo breathlessly, his eyes fluttering as he filled himself.  He was in the mood now for a different kind of cream—Kuroo’s, to be exact.  “Ahhhnnn…”

“Sh-shit…”

Kuroo gasped and squirmed beneath him, throwing his head back into the sheets.  After all his prior stimulation, he really wasn’t going to last very long at all.  Kenma was all heat and friction, clamping down around him with sweet moans and whimpers.  That was with eyes closed.  With eyes open, Kuroo could see Kenma’s flushed expression, eyes half-lidded and lips falling open with each thrust… The swaying motions of his body were mesmerizing, and his pretty pink cock bobbled between them, weeping with lust. 

“K-Kenma…” Kuroo groaned, willing himself to focus on Kenma’s eyes—just his eyes.  “Kenma, I’m… I’m gonna…”

“Me too…” Kenma gasped, moving his hips faster as he braced his hands on Kuroo’s chest.  “I’m… I’m close.” 

“I can’t…”

“It’s okay.  Come inside…!”

Kenma wailed, pounding his hips up and down with abandon until he felt Kuroo shudder and spasm beneath him, filling him with his release.  Stilling his hips to bury Kuroo’s full length within him, Kenma stroked himself to his finish, spilling across Kuroo’s chest and stomach and covering him with white.  Not too different from how he had looked when Kenma first entered the room, actually.

“Yum…” Kenma smirked through his panting, smearing the sticky liquid across Kuroo’s skin.  “Thanks for the treat.”

“Hah!” Kuroo chuckled and Kenma felt the laugh inside of him as well as beneath him.  “Happy birthday.”

“Mm… it’s not midnight yet, so you’re still early.”

Kuroo rolled his eyes but smiled.  “Happy early birthday then.”

“If this is what you’ll do for my pre-birthday, what do I have to look forward to tomorrow?”   Kenma giggled as Kuroo’s eyes shot open in alarm and he leaned down to kiss his brow.  “I’m kidding.  I’m honestly surprised you were willing to do this much.”

“Ah, well… I… Ngh!”

Kuroo groaned as Kenma chose that moment to lift his hips and pull Kuroo out of him.  He felt his own cum leaking out of Kenma and dripping back down onto his own thighs, and he let out a moan despite himself. 

“I didn’t want you to get bored.  With me.”

Kenma gave him a long look then, staring until Kuroo could feel his face burning under Kenma’s scrutiny and coughed to try and alleviate the tension. 

“Let’s get cleaned up. “ The blond said flatly before pulling Kuroo out of bed.  “Shower.  Pajamas.  You’re staying the night.”

It was all very curt and matter-of-fact.  Kuroo couldn’t quite tell if his comment had upset Kenma or not, but he felt the mood had shifted somehow in that moment.  Yet inside the shower, Kenma was nothing but soft kisses and gentle caresses while they cleaned each other’s bodies.  Maybe he was imagining things.

Once they had crawled back into bed, limp with exhaustion, Kenma pressed his body to Kuroo’s back, spooning him.  He brought one of Kuroo’s wrists to his lips to kiss the marks the cuffs had left, then wrapped his arms around Kuroo’s middle.

“You worry too much.” Kenma muttered into one of Kuroo’s shoulder blades.

“Only about things that matter.”

“I matter that much to you?” Kenma asked, only half teasing.

“Well yeah.” Kuroo laughed, turning his face away so Kenma couldn’t see his blush.  “You’re my… my boyfriend, right?  You matter a hell of a lot to me.  Obviously.”

Kenma shifted quietly behind him, arms squeezing tighter.

“I have better handcuffs—they won’t bruise you so bad.  Are your wrists ok?”

Kuroo glanced at them briefly, ignoring the welts.  “They’re fine.”  He’d have to be careful about rolling up his sleeves at the office for a few days, but aside from that, he was downright peachy.  And tired.

“Were the vibrators too much?”

“I never said, ‘red,’ remember?” Kuroo smirked as if that were a victory.  “Anyway, it wasn’t the _vibrators_ that were too much.” He admitted quietly.

“So what you’re saying is, you _definitely_ enjoyed my not letting you come.” Kenma teased.

Kuroo groaned and swung his arm out behind him to smack Kenma’s butt as they both laughed. 

“I don’t know… I think I need more leveling up.” Kuroo had thought himself as upping the difficulty with the handcuffs and the cream, but then Kenma came in and changed the level _completely_.  And maybe he should have expected that… Though not much could have prepared him for the vibrator and its… _girth._

“I think you’re fine where you are.” Kenma murmured, nuzzling his face into Kuroo’s shoulder.  “I know my reputation.  All the toys… the bondage… it’s fun, but I don’t _need_ it to have a good time, you know.  I won’t get bored just being with you.  So don’t… don’t feel like you have to try so hard.”  Then with a grin he added, “I don’t think your ass could take it.”

Sometimes it was hard to admit how much affection he now felt for Kuroo—a level of fondness he hadn’t thought himself capable of because he had refused in the past to let such things take hold.  But once he let even a little of it in, it overwhelmed his still-unprepared heart.  Kuroo had come to him with an untouched ass as if that were an embarrassment, but wasn’t Kenma’s hitherto-untouched heart the sadder story? 

“I mean… I don’t _dislike_ it, if that’s your concern…” Kuroo muttered tentatively.  “The bummer to being handcuffed though is I can’t touch you.”

Laying himself completely vulnerable and entrusting his body to Kenma had an enticing appeal, but there were pros and cons to all things.  He wiggled his body back closer against Kenma for more warmth. 

“Mm…” Kenma hummed.  “So next time, let’s switch.  I’ll be the one tied up and you can have fun with me.”

Kenma felt Kuroo grow suddenly tense in his arms, and he wondered if he was getting hard again.

“I… _guess_ that could be fun…” Kuroo shrugged, trying and failing to sound at all nonchalant. 

“Oh.  I guess you’re not interested.” Kenma sighed.  “Bummer.  I guess we won’t do it then.  No point in forcing you.”

Kuroo smacked him again, and Kenma giggled as he nuzzled closer. 

“Oh.” Kuroo said suddenly, jolting in Kenma’s arms.

“What?”

“…we left the cake out.  And now it’s probably all warm and soggy.”

“It’s okay.” Kenma mumbled, eyelids growing droopy as the post-coital fatigue began to sink in.  “You were a much better dessert anyway.”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lovely curiouslylazy commissioned a smutty add-on chapter for Kenma's birthday, and this is what resulted. Hope you guys enjoyed the sin~

**Author's Note:**

> Another Kuroken-meeting-for-the-first-time-as-adults fic! The commissioner's request was for a virgin Kuroo and a sexually experienced Kenma to switch things up a bit, since sex god Kuroo is so predominant in fandom. Hope you guys liked the switcharoo~
> 
> Some notes...
> 
> Neko no Kimochi, Tochipachi, and CREA Cat are actual Japanese pet magazines though I'm not sure if Tochipachi is still in circulation.
> 
> I know basically zilch about company marketing (I'm more of a PR person), but I did my best to come up with a situation for Lev and Kuroo to work through... hopefully it was convincing enough for most. 
> 
> Among Kenma's list of prior lovers (at least in the office), we have Lev, Yaku, Akaashi, and Fukunaga. I like to think of Hinata as being one of Kenma's early attempts at a relationship that didn't work out, and yes, Kuroo's heartbreak from his prior office job was because of Tsukki. 
> 
> As always, I'm open to all constructive criticism~ Please let me know your thoughts!
> 
> ===
> 
> Feel free to chat with me on Twitter or Tumblr about HQ!
> 
> Twitter: @Luna_Dreaming  
> Tumblr: nimbus-cloud


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